Fluid pressure control system



March 1, 1949;

A. H. RODECK ET AL FLUID PRESSURE CONTROL SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan'. 19,- 1944 wh NwA ARM .H R INVENTOR \N ODECKAND ALBERT C MA$$EY BY M; L@KM ATTORNEYS March 1, 1949. A. H. RODECK ET AL FLUID PRESSURE CONTROL SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan.' 19, I944 mg m 03 M PS wfi 3 mi %\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\N \\\\\\m- 63 r & q wi 09 INVENTORS ARMIN H. RODECK AND ALBERT G. MASSEY ATTORNEYS v Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID PRESSURE CONTROL SYSTEM Armin H. Rodeck and Albert G. Massey, Watertown, N. Y., assignors to Massey Machine Company, Watertown, N. Y.

Application January 19, 1944, Serial No. 518,786

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to governors and particularly to governors of the general type wherein a hydraulic relay acts between the speed responsive element and the controlling instruments which are governed thereby.

The problem of providing a governor of the general kind here under consideration has been variously approached in the prior art. According to the present invention an apparatus is provided which, among other things, is responsive purely to the action of centrifugal force upon a speed indicating element, without the usual interposition of spring biasing means. The inherent difficulty of precisely predicting the behaviour of mechanical spring means under varying loads introduces a considerable factor of error in governor systems where this mode of biasing the centrifugal elements is relied upon. In the apparatus of the present invention the centrifugal force of the speed indicating device in teracts directly with hydraulic pressure means, insofar as the response of the indicating device to changes in speed is concerned, with no mechanical counter forces of any kind.

Heretofore in the prior hydraulic governor art it has not been practical to connect the actuating piston pilot valve directly to the centrifugal force means for movement directly thereby. has been general in the art to provide various kinds of adjustable and shiftable linkage or other mechanical connections or various intermediate hydraulic relays. By virtue of the novel principles herein disclosed, the present invention makes it entirely practical and feasible to provide a throttle controlling actuatin piston and cylinder with a pair of conduits from opposite sides of a pilot valve, the latter being directly movable by and with all movements of the fly-weight mechanism or other speed-indicating means. This is accomplished without the necessity for any intervening operative agencies, mechanical, hydraulic or otherwise. All such governor characteristics and functions as sensitivity, rapidity, load limit, speed setting, compensation, etc., are provided for by a single simple hydro-dynamic biasing pressure which directly opposes the direct action of the centrifugal mechanism against the actuating piston pilot valve.

Hydraulic governor systems of the prior art have relied largely on floating lever systems for accomplishing the various governing, compensatin and control functions which are required. The present invention provides a hydraulic control and compensating system wherein the required levers and linkages have pivot axes which are relatively fixed during normal compensating and control operations and do not require adjustment even to alter or adjust the operating characteristics of the governor. The only exceptions noted are that the percentage of speed droop and the proportion or magnitude of adjustment are adjusted by means of shiftable fulcrums.

control, adjustment and regulation.

The present invention provides a hydraulic governor system wherein the degree of control is determined, in the first instance, by the degree of unbalance between a controlled hydro-dynamic fluid pressure and the direct force influence ofl the speed indicating element, in the illustrative and highly sensitive at all speeds in its range because the difference in centrifugal force for speed changes at the low speed range is less than at the high speed range, but at the same time the hydraulic pressure opposing centrifugal force is also less at low speed ranges, so that the compensating valve has less effect and the governor is therefore just as sensitive as at higher speeds.

A further aspect of novelty of the governor of the present invention resides in the fact that it requires no manual manipulation or holding open of valves until sufficient operating pressure is built up at the commencement of governor operation, as has been the case with prior art governors. An extremely important safety provision in any hydraulic governor installation is the provision of means for moving the governor to its engine shut-down position in the event of whole or partial loss of hydraulic pressure for any reason whatever. In prior art hydraulic governors this has required the provision of auxiliary ele ments of more or less complexity and questionable reliability. In the governor of the present invention loss of operating pressure automatically and directly moves the pilot valve to a position No other lever arm adjustments are required for full where the actuating piston moves to shut-down position. These and various other novel features of the present, invention, besides making for simplicity of construction and arrangement and greater dependability, result in much greater accuracy of control than in the case of the more complex and less dependable arrangements heretofore known.

A full and complete embodiment of the principles of the present invention, together with a minor modification thereof, are shown in the accompanying drawings by way of example, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in spirit or scope otherwise than as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a general schematic showing of one form of the governor of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detailed elevational view of the compensating valve of Fig, l on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail plan view of the valve of Fig. 2, partly in cross section;

Fig. 4 is a detailed fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of pilot valve;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional plan view of the valve of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary schematic view of an alternative load-limit adjustment.

Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the drawings and description and the numeral If) designates a shaft which is connectible with the engine or other device or system to be governed. the governor system is to maintain a constant velocity of the shaft ill despite changes in load, in the case of an engine, or of other conditions tending to vary the velocity of the shaft H]. In

the alternative the governor serves to maintain a constant degree of speed droop, that is, a predetermined lessening of velocity with increases in load. The system of the present invention is readily adjusted to varying degrees of speed droop, as occasion may require, including adjustment to zero speed droop, in which case the velocity is maintained constant regardless of the load, within predetermined maximum load limits. Speed droop and the ability to accurately regulate it are principally desirable where multiple prime movers are operating in parallel against a common load and it is desired that the load be uniformly distributed over the several prime Adjustment of the engine or other device or system being governed is accomplished by rotating a shaft designated l l in Fig. l and in the case of an engine the shaft l i may be connected with the throttle valve or other fuel contro1 means, as by means of an arm l2. In engine governor operation the load on the engine is reflected in the setting of shaft I I.

The fly-weighthead and the hydro-dynamic fluid system which cooperates therewith is shown at the right of Fig. l and comprises a shaft or sleeve 13 rotatable in a support It and having a resilient driving connection 55 with the shaft in which is driven by the engin being governed. The shaft [3 is axially bored to receive a pilot valve I6 which has enlarged axially spaced valve heads I! and I8 and is formed at its upper end with an enlargement l9 for cooperating to support a plurality of fly-Weights 20. The flyweights are carried by arms 2| which have a common pivot 22 at the outside of shaft 13. The

The purpose and effect of arms 2! are pivotally engaged by links 23 which are also p-ivotally connected to the enlargement if; of piict valve if at it. From the foregoing it will be clear that any tendency of centrifugal force to move the fly-"weights outwardly, upon increase in speed of shafts H3 and tends to straighten the toggles which the arms 2i and the links 23 form, and this results in lowerin movement of the valve 56 in the bore of the shaft 33. A decrease in speed, evidenced by a tendency of the fiy-weights to move inwardly toward the shaft 13, tends to collapse the toggles, and the links 23 accordingly raise the pilot valve it in the shaft IS. The pilot valve 56 is free to move axially in the shaft i3 but rotates therewith.

The necessary hydraulic pressure required for operation of the governor is provided by a pump, lndicated at 25, which may be arranged to be driven from shaft It by a pair of gears 27 and 28. The pump 25 is preferably of the reversible type wherein the output is uni-directional regardless of the direction of rotation of the pump drive means. The pump communicates with a conventional hydraulic pressure accumulator indicated at 29 by means of a conduit 39, and the conduit 3B extends to the support M where it communicates with an annular passage 3! formed in support It and extending about shaft lit, the latter having a series of peripheral openings 32 whereby conduit 33 has continuous and uninterrupted communication with the space between valve heads ii and 98.

The pilot valve Id '5 further formed at its lower end with a piston head 35 which cooperates with th bore of shaft iii to form a fluid pressure chamber 36. The chamber 35 is provided, in a manner which will presently appear, with a selectively variable degree of hydro-dynami fluid pressure, and such pressure acts against piston head 35 to oppose the downward thrust which the centrifugal action of the fly-weights 20 imparts to stem l6.

ihe housing it has a pair of annular passages 3'! and 38 and the shaft it has a series of peripherally spaced openings in communication with each of the annular passages. The opening in shaft l3 are designated 39 and 48, respectively, and are normally axially in registry with the valve heads i? and 13. The passages 31 and 38 have conduits ii and 42, respectively, which communicate with the upper and lower side of a cylindrical chamber 43 formed in a housing element M. A power or actuating piston 35 is disposed in chamber 43 and has a piston rod 46 which connects with an arm i! secured to shaft it whereby movements of piston 45 in chamber d3 directly control oscillation of shaft II and accordingly directly determine and reflect the load setting of shaft II or any other variable condition which shaft ii may serve to adjust.

In a general way, it will be seen from the foregoing that acceleration of shaft It will, by increased centrifugal force on fly weights 20, lower pilot valve it and, by lowering of valve head E8, connect conduit 365 with conduit t2. This directs fluid pressure against the lower side of piston 45 and accordingly rotates shaft i l in a clockwise direction to decrease the fuel setting, in instances where an engine is being governed, to accomplish the necessary slowing of shaft 19 to the predetermined speed level. As stated in the preamble hereto, the actuating piston may be used for regulating other variables in other governor applications.

In Fig. 1 the numeral 53 designates a tapered plug valve which extends across and controls passages 5| and 52 which connect the conduits 4| and 42 with cylindrical chamber 43. The valve 50 is manually adjustable as by means of a handle 53 and its position of adjustment determines the effective cross sectional areas of passages 5| and 52 and this controls the rapidity with which actuating piston 45 responds to changes in velocity of the input shaft and thus permits selective adjustment of the governor characteristic which is termed rapidity by those skilled in the art. Rapidity is a term denoting the speed with which the actuating piston moves from one fuel setting to another. Instances where best regulation is attained by free and accurate adjustment of rapidity are found in the control of prime movers, notably two-cycle gasoline engines.

It will be noted that a further conduit Gil leads from accumulator 29 to housing 44 and this conduit supplies fluid pressure which ultimately serves as the source of adjustable hydro-dynamic fluid pressure in chamber 36 beneath piston 35 of pilot valve I B. The manner in which the pressure in chamber 36 is contro11ed to effect what is known in the art as compensation will now be described.

It is well recognized that the lag in response of a governor controlled prime mover to opening or closing movement of the throttle introduces a factor of over-governing which tends to produce hunting or racing of the prime mover. To avoid such hunting, hydraulic governor systems are generally provided with one or another form of compensating means. The compensating means of the system of the present invention is relatively simple, direct and extremely accurate in result. The housing 44 is provided with a compensating piston chamber and a piston 68 is disposed for reciprocation therein.

In Fig, 1 the numeral Ill designates a compensating valve and the numeral H designates a balanced pilot valve for the compensating piston 68, the valves Ill and II bein fixed for joint axial movement in the housing 44 as by means of a bracket 12. Compensating valve it has a valve head 13 and a closure piston I4 spaced axially therefrom. The balanced valve 1| has a pair of spaced valve heads TI and 18 which are normally in registry with lateral passages 19 and 8E, respectively, which lead to compensating piston chamber 51 at opposite sides of compensating piston 68. Conduit 60 from the fluid pressure source leads to the space between the heads l1 and i8 of balanced valve H, by means of passage 82, and also to the space between compensating valve head 13 and closure piston 14, by means of a passage 83.

In the form shown in Fig. 1 a sleeve t4 intervenes between the housing 44 and compensating valve H1 and sleeve 84 has an opening 85 of trapezoidal shape which establishes communication with the fluid pressure chamber 35 below pilot valve I6 by means of a conduit 85. As shown in clearer detail in Figs. 2 and 3, compensating valve head H has a notch 8'! which provides restrictable and variable fluid pressure communication between fluid pressure supply conduit BI! and the conduit 86 leading to the chamber 35 beneath pilot valve l5. Axial movement of valve 18 enlarges or constricts the effective area for fluid passage through notch 81 and the trapezoidal opening 85 in sleeve 84 and consequently varies the hydro-dynamic pressure in conduit 86. this by reason of the fact that conduit 86 has an outlet passage portion 89 whose degree of outlet opening may be selectively varied by pivotal movement of an arm which controls the degree of opening of an outlet valve 9| which may vary in form but in the illustrated instance is a common commercial form of valve known in the art as a cock or petcock.

Compensation is eiiected by means of a pair of levers 94 and which have a pin and slot endto-end pivotal connection 95. Lever 94 has an intermediate pivotal support 91 and its opposite end engages pivotally with actuating piston rod 45, as at 98. Lever 95 is pivotally supported at an intermediate point on bracket 12, as at 99, and its opposite end has a pivotal connection I00 with piston rod ml of the compensatin piston 68. The support 91 is adjustable lengthwise of lever 94 so that its effective lever arms may be varied. This determines the proportion of actuating piston adjustment for a given load change, a characteristic called magnitude, and permits accurate matching of the governor to any engine or other device or system to be governed.

In normal operation and with the engine operating at a particular load and at a predetermined velocity setting, the hydro-dynamic fluid pressure in chamber 36 below pilot valve It is such as to balance the centrifugal force aCtlllg upon the fly-weights 2i] and tending to urge the pilot valve I5 downwardly. Accordingly, the pilot valve remainsin neutral position where the valve heads I! and It! close conduits 4| and 42, respectively.

However, upon an increase in speed of the flyweights 20, their added centrifugal force overcomes the fluid pressure beneath pilot valve I6, as determined by the setting of outlet valve 9|, and the pilot valve It moves downwardly to connect fluid pressure conduit 30 with conduit 42 through passages 3|, 32, 4D and 38, thus moving actuating piston .5 upwardly in chamber 43. This rotates shaft in a clockwise direction to reduce fuel supply, if the apparatus is being employed in governing a prime mover. At the same time fluid expelled from chamber 43 above piston 45 passes through conduit 4! and discharges within shaft l3 above valve head Such discharged fluid may emerge from shaft I3 through openings "33 formed in shaft l3 to accommodate links 23. The fluid so discharged, which is conventionally a lubricant, lubricates the linkage and other parts therebeneath.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the entire mechanism of Fig. 1. may be housed in a suitable casing of any form whose bottom may be used as a sump for pump 25. whereby all discharge outlets of the system discharge openly into the casing. where they gravitate to the sump for re-use by the pump. The sump is indicated schematically at H34 Fig. l.

A decrease in centrifugal force resulting from a decrease in speed of shaft Ill and fly-weights 25 results in a reverse manner to o en the fuel control. In such case. raisin of pilot valv 15 connects conduits 42 with discharge passages I55 and Hi6 formed in the shaft l3 and the housing M. respectively.

A compensating and restoring cvcle of operat on will no-whe described. When actuating piston pilot valve I6 is shifted upwardly in response to a decrease in speed of the in ut shaft in, has previously been described, the actuating piston 45 moves downwardly to increase sup ly of fuel to the prime mover being governed. This immediately rotates lever 94 in a clockwise direction and imparts an upward movement to the right hand end of lever 95. At this instant the left hand end of lever 95 comprises a fixed pivot since the compensating piston E8- is hydraulically locked in its chamber El. Therefore, the compensating valve H! is moved upwardly together with the balanced pilot valve ll. Thus, as the actuating piston :25 lowers, the compensating valve "Ell rises and tends to restrict passage of fluid through notch 8's and passage as to lower the hydrodynamic fluid pressure in chamber 36 and, since this has a retarding eiiect on the upward movement of pilot valve it, accordingly tends to step movement of actuating piston do by reason of the restrictive eifect thus created against the openin of passage 39 and conduit ll to pressure from conduit 36 Simultaneously the compensating pilot valve 7'? has moved upwardly to admit fluid to chamber 6'? above compensating piston 68 which begins to move downwardly to restore the balanced pilot valve ll and the compensating valve ill to their initial positions.

The period of restoration oi compensating valve 56 to initial position is adjustably proportioned to the speed with which the condition controlled by shaft ll responds. Thus in the case of an engine, compensating valve lowers during downward movement of compensating piston l2, the right hand pivot of lever Q being stationary due to the arresting of piston engine speed returns in synchronisrn and pilot valve it remains closed. In other Words, when properly adjusted, the increasing centrifugal pressure on pilot valve it keeps pace with increasing hydrodynamic fluid pressure at the bottom. of pilot valve and since they remain in equilibrium the conduits l! remain cut on" by valve heads il and is.

As restoration proceeds and compensating piston 138 lowers, its pilot valve ll lowers with com-- pensating valve 'lfi until the pilot valve heads ll and '53 again are in registry with and close passages it and so, whereupon compensating piston 58 is arrested and the governing and restoring cycle is complete.

The maintenance of exact equilibrium of pilot valve ill during restoration, as above set forth, presupposes accurate adjustment of compensation to the speed with which the prime mover responds to a change in throttle opening. Any deviation. however, is simply and directly corrected automatically by a change in position of pilot valve 56, due to the unbalance. and actuating piston as thus moves to correct the condition of overor under-governing by increasing or decreasing the initial oscillation of shaft l l.

A tapered plug valve l in controls the passages l9 and 6?! extending to the compensating piston chamber 6"! and valve llll may be adjusted to regulate the rate of return of balanced valve Ti and compensating valve Hi to maintain the desired equilibrium of pilot valve I 5 during restoration. After a governing and restoring cycle iscomplete, the valves iii and H and pilot valve I'B are all restored to their former neutral positions, only the actuating piston 45 and the compeneating piston 68 occupying new positions.

For adjusting the speed at which the :overnor set to regulate the prime mover, or to vary other desired operating constants in other gov ernor applications. the outlet valve is manually adjustable to control the size of the orifice leading from chamber beneath pilot valve l6 and thereby control the hydro-dynamic pressure urging the valve l5 upwardly against the downward urge imparted thereto by the centrifugal force of the fiy-weights 2c. The valve arm as which pivot-ally controls valve 9! has a link H2 which connects with a lever H3, the latter having a second link i it pivotally connected thereto. The link lid is connected to a manually settable arm For the moment we may consider the third pivot of lever l 23, designated 5 l 6, as fixed, and it will be seen that with pivot H6 fixed oscillation of arm i i5 oscillates valve 96' to change its degree of constriction.

It is thus seen that speed control or speed setting is accomplished entirely by hydraulic means without counter spring pressures or other mechanical biases of any kind against the flyweight mechanism. In conventional fly-Weight insechanisins the major or entire centrifugal force of the fly-weight mechanism acts in opposition to a mechanical spring means.

The speed. control means set forth in. the foregoing permits an unusually wide range of speed settings with consistently accurate governing at all specds. and the inherent hydraulic balance of the fly-weight mechanism makes for a new of operation. This new selectivity makes he present governor system especially suitable ful. The novel speed control is further advantageous in that it permits the value 91 to be located remotely from the fly-weight mechanism and. the ilot valve 56 by merely providing hydraulic conduits between the fly-weight mechanism and the valve (ii. The valve l9 might thus be disposed in the pilot house of a boat or the cab of a locomotive.

The valve M is free and unbiased by spring pressures or the like. This permits free setting thereof throughout wide ranges of variation. In prior art variable speed governors adjustment has been accomplished by changing biasing spring pressures and the counter pressures encountered at high speeds are extremely high. This makes it very difiicult to attain accurate adjustment and greatly limits the available range of speed settings. As stated above, the hydrodynamic speed setting valve 81 of the present invention ofiers substantially no resistance to speed setting adjustment.

As thus far described the governor system is isochronous. its speed being constant, for any given speed setting, regardless of the load. Within usual operating limits. It is desired. however, to selectively adjust the governor system so as to introduce adjustable controlled speed droop, that is. a predetermined percentage of reduction in speed for each increase in load. To this end the pivot H of lever H3 is connected to a link H8 whose other end pivotally engages a lever H9. The lever use has a fulcrum su port i251 which is adjustable toward and away from the pivotal connection with link I la and the outer end of lever H5. pivotally engages connecting rod 46 of actuating piston 45.

In operation, the position of the throttle control shaft ll directly reflects the prevailing load. Accordingly. the arm 4?, connecting rod 46 and actuator piston G5, by their positions, also directly reflect the prevailing load. As shown in Fig. 1, an. increase in load will cause connecting rod 46 to move downwardly. With the fulcrum support I26 set as shown, and with manual speed setting arm H5 in a given position, the pivotal connection between link H4 and lever H3 will serve as a fulcrum for the latter and downward movement of connecting rod 46 will accordingly move link II2 upwardly and produce the eifect of slowing the speed setting by opening the valve 9| in proportion to the increase in load as evidenced by downward movement of connecting rod 46. This decrease in hydra-dynamic pressure beneath the pilot valve I6 causes downward movement thereof and results in pilot valve I6 resuming a normal neutral position at a lower load setting of actuating piston 45 and shaft I I. By this means the engine speed is reduced in proportion to the increase in load and is accordingly a function varying inversely with respect to the load. While the foregoing description of the speed droop control has,

for clearness, been described sequentially, it is to be understood that speed droop adjustment occurs continuously and automatically and may occur with and during a governing and compensating cycle caused by a change in speed of the input shaft III.

Movement of fulcrum support I toward the right in Fig. l lengthens the lever arm of the connecting rod 46 and shortens the lever arm of the link IIB. This increases the ratio of the connecting rod lever arm to the link lever arm so that the percentage of speed droop is proportionately reduced. If the fulcrum support I20 is moved so that it is coincident with the pivotal connection of link H8 with lever H9, then movement of connecting rod 46 will have no efiect on link H8 and the governor will operate isochronously, that is, with zero speed droop. While rarely required, it is obvious that negative speed droop operation is usually accurate speed control, such i control is only desired within certain maximum load limits and it is desired that such maximum load limits may be freely established and adjusted. It has previously been indicated that the prevailing load is directly indicated by the vertical position of the connecting rod 46. Accordingly a projection I is formed on the connecting rod 46 and lies in the path of one end of a lever I26 which is pivotally supported by a screw I28.

The other end of lever I26 connects with a link I29 which in turn connects with a valve rod I30 of a valve I3l which is disposed in a cylinder I32. The cylinder I32 is disposed in conduit 88 and a compression coil spring I33 normally biases valve I3I to the illustrated position where fluid flow through conduit 86 by way of cylinder I32 is unimpeded. However, when the connecting rod 46 moves to a predetermined lower limit position the projection I 25 engages the end of lever I26 and it, through link I29, raises valve I3I so that when the predetermined load limit position is reached, valve I31 blocks conduit 86. Vertical adjustment of the position of pivotal supporting screw I28 obviously varies the point at which projection I25 engages lever I26 and accordingly determines the load limit. Such adjustment is effected by changing the axial position of screw I28 with respect to internally threaded fixed supports I35, which is accomplished by manual rotation of knob I36.

While greatest clearness of disclosure is attained by the schematic mode of represenation employed in the drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that all of the elements of Fig. 1 will be housed in a suitable unitary casing of any desired form and configuration, as has been suggested previously herein. It will further be clear to those skilled in the art that all of the various adjustable fulcrums and valves will have suitable connections accessible from the outside of such casing and that suitable dials for indicating prevailing speed, load limit and speed droop settings will likewise be provided.

As appears from Figs. 1 and 3, the opening in sleeve 84 is trapezoidal and accordingly, upon opening movement of valve III, the area of the orifice between notch 8'! and opening 85 increases at greater than a straight line function of the degree of axial movement valve ID. This introduces a correcting factor so that the hydro-dynamic balancing force beneath pilot valve I6 may at all times be properly proportioned and opposed to the centrifugal force of the fly-weights at different axial positions of valve 10. However, without disturbing this varying orifice ratio, it is desired to adjust the orifice to hydro-dynamically adjust the governor characteristic known in the art as sensitivity," that is, the measure of the amount which the governor speed indicating means will move for a certain load or speed change. This is accomplished, in the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, by rotational adjustment of sleeve 84. To this end the upper portion of sleeve 84 has a sector gear I38 and a rack I39- is internally threaded to receive an axially stationary manually rotatable adjusting screw I40.

In the alternative form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 a sleeve or bushing I45, corresponding to bushing 84, is fixed and valve I46, corresponding to valve 16, is rotatably adjustable. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, valve I46 has a valve head I41 with a vertically tapered passage I48 and sleeve has a pair of similarly tapered diametrically opposite passages I49. The tapered passages I48 and I49 cooperate to introduce a correcting factor as in the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, upon axial adjustment of valve I46. However, upon rotational adjustment of valve I46, because the de gree of taper of passages I48 and I49 is the same, their corrective relationship is not altered. As in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sensitivity of the governor is adjusted rotationally. To permit rotational adjustment of valve I46, its upper end is pivotally attached to a bracket I50 which corresponds to the bracket 12 of Fig. l.. A pin I5I extends laterally from valve I46 for engagement with a vertical slot I52 in a bracket I53, the latter being mounted for guided lineal movement on stationary sleeve I45, whereby axially stationary screw I54 may be manually rotated to oscillate valve I46.

Fig. 6 shows a modified load-limit adjustment and control wherein a lever I88, corresponding to lever I26 of Fig. 1, has pin and slot connection with actuating piston. rod 45 and has an adjustable pivotal support Itl on a load-limit adjusting screw I62. An intermediate abutment I233 on lever I60 is arranged to engage enlargement I9 which supports the fiy-weight linkage. Thus, when the maximum load setting is reached by downward movement of actuating piston 45, further movement thereof is positively prevented because pilot valve I6 is moved to neutral position and held against upward movement as long as abutment I63 is against enlargement I9.

Referring again to the present novel governor system generally, it is to be understood that use thereof is not confined to the control of prime movers, even though that is possibly the greatest present field of application. For instance, the governor of Fig. 1 may readily be associated with a controllable pitch propeller for aircraft, in

variations in propeller speed will reugh the governor system to vary the pitch l lades thereof. There is an analogy in theu in both cases the load of the system is adjusted, in one case by varying an engine fuel valve setting and in the other by changing the pitch of propeller blades. In any event, the claims are to be understood to cover a governor system of very general application.

What is claimed is:

l. A overnor mechanism compri ing a pressure chamber and a regulator member movable therein in response to pressure changes, a pair of fluid passages, one communicating with the pressure chamber at each side of said regulator member,

source of fluid pressure, pilot valve means normally closing both of passages and movable in opposite directions .30 connect other side of said pressure chamber With said source of fluid to shilt the relative position of said regulater I ember in said chamber, speed responsive means adapted to exert against said pilot valve means forces varying with of speed, hy-- drodynamic fluid pressure chamber means acting in opposi n to and normally balancing the forces of said speed responsive means, an inlet orifice an outlet orifice for said hydrody, mic Drescure c mbcr means, means for rcgula g one of said orifices to control the speed sett 1g of th governor, compensating means, and means movable by said compensating means for varying the other of said orifices to variably control the hydrodynamic fluid pressure opposing the speed respon ive during restoration of speed following an adjustment of the relative position of a regulator member.

A hydraulic governor mechanism comprising an actuating piston and cylinder and a compensa ing piston and cyli 'er fluid pressure means for producing relative movement between said pistons their res ective cylinders, a balanced pilot valve for said actuating cylinder and a balanced pilot valve for said compensating cylinder, speed-responsive means acting 1 pilot valve and hydrodynamic fluid pressure means acting to oppose and normally balance the action of the speed-responsive means and having a variable orifice, and valve means movable with said compensating pilot valve for varying said orifice to variably control t'-e hydrodynamic fluid pressure opposing the speed-rcsponsive mean during restoration of speed following adJ istment of said actual 1g piston and cylinder.

3. A hydraulic governor mechanism comprising an actuating istcn and cylinder and a compensating piston and cylinder fluid pressure means for producing relative movement between said pistons and their respective cylinders, a balanced pilot valve for actuating c inder and a balanced pilot valve for compensating cylinder, speed-responsive means acting against said actuating p ct valve and variable hydrodynamic -.id pressure means acting to oppose and normally balance the action of the speed-responsive and means movable with compensatfiuid pressure opposing the speed-responmeans during restoration of speed following an adjustment of said actuating piston and cylinder.

=2. A hydraulic governor mechanism comprising an actuating piston and cylinder and a compeneating piston and cylinder and fluid pressure means for producing relative movement between said pistons and their respective cylinders, a balanced pilot valve for said actuating cylinder and a balanced pilot valve for said compensating cylinder, speed-responsive means acting against said actuating pilot valve and hydrodynamic fluid pressure means acting to oppose and normally balance the action of the speed-responsive means, said fluid pressure means having an adjustable speed setting orifice and a variable orifice, and valve means movable with said compensating pilot valve for varying said variable orifice to variably control the hydrodynamic fluid pressure opposing the speed-responsive means during restoration of speed-lcllowing an adjustment of said actuating piston and cylinder.

5. A hydraulic governor mechanism comprising an actuating piston and cylinder and a compensat ng piston and cylinder and fluid pressure means i'or producing relative movement between said pistons and the respective cylinders, a balanced pilot valve for said actuating cylinder and a balanced pilot valve for said compensating cylinder, speed-responsive means acting against said actuatin pilot valve and hydrodynamic fluid pressure means acting to oppose and normally balance the action oi the speed-responsive means, said t pressure means having an adjustable speed setting orifice and a variable orifice, valve means movable With said compensating pilot valve for varying said variable orifice to variably control the hydrodynamic fluid pressure opposing the spec -rc ponsive means during restoration of speed fGliOl' l .5; an adjustment of said actuating piston and cy and means movable by and upon relative movement between said actuating piston and cylinder for controlling said adjustablc speed set ng orifice whereby the speed setting varies with the prevailing load.

6. A hydraulic governor mechanism comprising an actuating piston and cylinde and a compensating piston and cylinder and fluid pressure means for producing relative movement between said pistons and their respective cylinders, a balanced pilot valve for said actuating cylinder and a balanced pilot valve for said compensating cy1- inder, speed responsive means actin" against actuating pilot valve and hydro-dynamic fluid pressure chamber means acting to oppose and normally balance the action of the speed responsive means, said fluid pressure chamber means having an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice, valve means for adjusting one of said orifices to deterre governor speed setting, and Valve means movable with said compensating pilot valve for varying said oth r orifice to variably control the hydro-dynamic luid pressure opposing the speed responsive means during restoration of speed following an ad. ustrnent of said actuating piston and cylinder.

'7. A hydraulic governor mechanism compris' ing an actuating piston and cylinder and a compensating piston cylinder and fluid pressur means for producing relativ" movement between said pistons their respective cylinders, a balpilo't v lve for said actuating cylinder balanced pilot valve for said compensating cylinder. speed responsive means acting against said actual; ig pilot valve and hydro-dyn ic fluid prerwure chamber means acting to oppose and normally balance the action of the speed respon sive means, said fluid pressure chamber means having an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice, means for adjusting one of said orifices to determine governor speed setting, means movable with said compensating pilot valve for Varying said other orifice to variably control the hydro-dynamic fluid pressure opposing the speed responsive means during restoration of speed following an adjustment of said actuating piston and cylinder, and means for further adjusting said other orifice to vary the sensitivity of the speed responsive means.

8. A hydraulic governor mechanism comprising an actuating piston and cylinder and a compensating piston and cylinder and fluid pressure means for producing relative movement between' said pistons and their respective cylinders, a balanced pilot valve for said actuating cylinder and a balanced pilot valve for said compensating cylinder, speed responsive means acting against said actuating pilot valve and hydro-dynamic fluid pressure chamber means acting to oppose and normally balance the action of the speed responsive means, said fluid pressure chamber means having an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice, means for adjusting one of said orifices to determine governor speed setting, means movable by and upon relative movement of said actuating piston and cylinder for controlling said orifice adjusting means whereby the speed setting varies with the prevailing load, and means movable with said compensating pilot valve for varying said other orifice to variably control the hydrodynamic fiuid pressure opposing the speed responsive means during restoration of speed following an adjustment of said actuating piston and cylinder.

ARMIN I-I. RODECK.

ALBERT G. MASSEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

